The joining of components of the same or different materials is fundamental in the manufacture of a wide variety of products ranging from ships and airplanes to tiny semiconductor and optical devices. Joining by brazing or soldering is particularly important in the assembly of products composed of metal parts and the fabrication of electronic and optical devices.
Typically soldered or brazed products are made by sandwiching a braze or solder between mating surfaces of the respective components and heating the sandwiched structure in a furnace or with a torch. Unfortunately these conventional approaches often expose both the components and the joint area to deleterious heat. In brazing or soldering, temperature-sensitive components can be damaged, and thermal damage to the joint may necessitate costly and time consuming anneals. Alternatively, the presence of heat-sensitive components, such as semiconductors devices, may require low temperature joining that produces weaker joints.
Accordingly there is a need for improved methods of joining products by braze or solder and the improved joined products that they can produce.